Is This Love?
by anon1126
Summary: A college intern (Erica Reynolds) spends her year at Hawkins Lab working with Dr. Sam Owens when things get more intimate than either had imagined. She's a freshman and good friends with Steve, Nancy, and Jonathon and therefore their families. This story follows season 2 and goes into season 3. (Dr. Owens/OC)
1. Chapter 1

Erica greeted Joyce, Will, and Chief Hopper with hugs in Dr. Owen's exam room at Hawkins Lab where she would prep Will for his checkup. "It's so good to see you guys," she said cheerfully as she gestured for Will to take a seat in the exam chair.

Will gave a small smile in response, he'd been even quieter than normal since the events. Joyce smiled as well, "It's good to see you too. How are you liking this job?"

Hopper added in, "Yeah, how does this work? Shouldn't you be in class on the campus?" He was always straight to the point. It was his way and never meant to be hurtful.

Erica nodded at both of the inquiries as she began the workup on Will, "So, my time here is an internship so it counts as college credit and because I am able to do so many different tasks, it's actually working out an entire semester's work," she looked at Joyce, "I'm really enjoying it. I love getting to work with Dr. Owens. He is wonderful," she hoped the blushing she suddenly felt in her cheeks was only in her imagination. But she could tell from the looks coming at her from around the room that her cheeks were red.

Erica focused her attention on Will to take her mind off the sudden embarrassment she was feeling, "So, you had another episode? Do you want to tell me about it before Dr. Owens comes in?" she began as she drew blood, "Or, do you want to wait?"

"I'll wait," Will answered quietly, "I don't really want to get into it more than I have to if that's ok?"

Erica nodded as she began placing the probes around his face to read his brain wavelengths, "Of course, Will. You don't owe me an explanation." Once she finished the last of her duties, she looked around to address everyone, "Ok we're all ready. I'll go get Dr. Owens and he'll be with you guys in just a few minutes."

Hopper and Joyce simply nodded in reply not wanting to make her uncomfortable again as they had before.

Erica knocked on Dr. Owen's office door and waited patiently for him to tell her it was alright to enter.

"Come in," she heard his New York accent through the door. His voice sent chills down her spine and his accent only added to those feelings.

She opened the door and entered, a smile creeping across her lips, "I've prepared Will Byers for you, Doctor. Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked the last part in a more alluring tone, not even aware she was doing it.

The pair had been dancing around their attraction for eachother throughout the months she'd been working for him but neither had made the first real step yet, but Erica felt sure one of the would.

His lips curled into a smirk as he looked up at her, away from the large stack of papers on his desk, "Thank you for doing that for me. Did he mention anything about his recent event?" he asked as he stood and walked toward her.

Erica shook her head, "No, I asked him about it but he wanted to wait until he spoke with you. He said he didn't want to have to explain it more times than necessary," she finished as he stood just inches from her, "So, can I help you with anything else?" her voice was just above a whisper as his proximity sent shivers down her spine.

Owens placed his hand on her elbow as he began to move past her enjoying the way her cheeks reddened at even the slightest touch from him. "If you'd like to, you can organize that giant stack on my desk," he offered her a task that would ensure she'd still be in his office when he returned, or at least he hoped it would.

"I'd be happy to, Doctor Owens," she leaned closer to him and whispered her response into his ear feeling more confident because of his own antics.

He finished his journey past her and into the hall before turning back, "I'll see you when I'm done with this session," he added a wink and walked away toward the exam room.

Erica held in her excitement as she focused and moved to sit in his chair and begin organizing.


	2. Chapter 2

Erica sat at Dr. Owen's desk for the remainder of the afternoon, her peasant dress riding up her legs from changing positions so often for comfort.

Owens walked through his door hours later and smiled to himself to see Erica still in his chair diligently working.

"I wasn't sure you'd still be here," he stated to alert her to his presence hoping not to startle her.

Erica jumped, just a little, and looked up to see him in the doorway, "What can I say? You had a lot of papers to go through. I can finish tomorrow if you'd like your seat," she offered as she began to stand.

He raised his hand and shook his head while taking a seat across from her, "There's no need for that. I wanted a chance to speak with you, anyway."

"About what, Doctor?" she asked, her voice timid.

He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees, "You don't have to call me Doctor all the time. You can call me Sam if you'd like," he began knowing he had her attention locked on him as he continued, "I don't know if you're aware but I've started to feel like there's something going on between us, something more than a boss and his employee. Have you noticed these feelings?" he asked turning the conversation back to her.

Erica felt her cheeks blushing as she listened to him speak wondering if his words were a test or if he was being genuine. She knew this might be her only chance so she took a deep breath and answered honestly, "I have felt the things you're referring to, at least I think I have. If we are pondering over the same feelings then we must both be aware that if we cross that line, our relationship will be changed forever," she added displaying some of the gravity of their delicate situation.

"What are your concerns when it comes to crossing those lines?" Sam asked with a small smile, "You know we're both thinking of the same feelings. There's no need to dance around it," he added.

She looked down unsure of how to respond but decided to act on her impulses as she stood from his desk and gestured for him to reclaim his seat. He looked at her with a quizzical expression but did as she requested, a grin crossing his lips once he saw her positioning herself beneath his desk instead of moving to the seat he'd recently vacated.

Sam sat down while Erica situated herself below his desk. He moved his chair further beneath the desk to ensure she was covered during her actions in case anyone came in because Hopper and Joyce hadn't met with him yet after Will's visit.

He glanced down at her, "Are you sure you're alright with starting things off like this? I'm not opposed to going out on a date and getting to know eachother on a more personal level," he shared.

"I promise I'm not worried about how we get this relationship going," Erica replied in a whisper while she was moving her hands to his belt buckle, "I'm just happy that we finally managed to rip off the band-aid and admit there's something here."

She listened to his breathing change as she pulled down his zipper and gently released him from the confines of his boxers.

"What about you?" Sam asked though his voice gave away his anticipation at what she was preparing to do.

Erica didn't respond at first and instead pulled him into her mouth, running her tongue around his length and smiling against him as she heard his breath catch.

She ran her hands along his thighs to gain traction as she quickened her pace on him listening while he neared his release. Her work was almost interrupted when Joyce and Chief Hopper entered Dr. Owen's office.

"I'm glad you two are here," Owens stated as he sat forward in his seat slightly, but not so far to inhibit Erica's work, "Will is going to get worse before he gets better. That's just how PTSD works, unfortunately. There's nothing either of you can do at this time to help other then letting him work through it and talk when he's ready. Don't force him to open up."

Erica was amazed by Owens' focus as she continued to work on him beneath his deak. She coudn't imagine trying to tell those two people about their child's needs while she was doing what she was doing, but he was an amazing man.

She continued her mission at a a more slowed down the pace to allow him the opportinuity to finish his meeting before she finished him. Erica was so pleased with her work that it was only causing her own urges to grow stronger but they didn't have any time for that, at the moment. She heard Joyce and Hopper leave Sam's office within a few minutes of their entrance causing her to speed up her attack on him.

She grinned against his member when she felt him start to jerk between her lips as he neared his release and her grin grew into a full smile when she felt him cum inside her mouth because she knew he was giving her all of him. Once he was finished, she spent the time to tenderly clean him up before she fastened his pants and redid his belt and climbed out from under his desk.

"You're going to owe me for what an excellent job I did," Erica stated, "But don't worry, you'll get your chance," she teased as she picked up her notebook and walked out of his office as they'd just finished a meeting and not what they'd actually done.


	3. Chapter 3

A few nights passed after what Owens and Erica did when Halloween arrived and Erica decided (against her better judgment) to attend a party with Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy. She chose to dress up as Princess Leia in her slave outfit in _Return of the Jedi_. Erica felt like her choice was slightly risque for a high school Halloween party but her plans for later on in the night called for such a bold choice.

Erica met Nancy at her house to finish getting ready before they met the two boys at the party which, of course, took place at their worst enemy's house, but a high school party was a high school party. She didn't need that social recognition anymore, but Erica wanted to be there for her friends.

"You look amazing!" Erica exclaimed once she saw Nancy in her full costume, "Steve is going to love it!" she added with a bright smile.

Nancy shrugged off her suggestion about Steve, "Yeah well maybe he'll care but who are you trying to impress in that outfit?" she looked over Erica's revealing costume, "Are you planning on attending another party after ours because I know that's not a look for taking the kids trick-or-treating," she added with a small wink.

"I may or may not have plans for later this evening but they're nothing for you to concern yourself with," she replied with a smile as Jonathan and Steve walked up to the front porch.

Nancy shook her head at Erica's avoidance of her question but she didn't have the opportunity

Steve reached out for Nancy's hand, "You two look beautiful tonight," he complimented while Jonathan stood by in the shadows.

Erica smiled brightly, "Thank you! Are you two ready to enjoy the night? I am so excited to be able to enjoy a party in town even though I'm in college now. I honestly wasn't sure what would happen for me," she revealed as she walked behind Nancy and Steve with Jonathan not too far behind her.

The quartet arrived at the party and dispersed among the crowd fairly quickly. Erica made her way to the drinks where she threw back a few before she started to feel tipsy. Some of the kids who knew her from Hawkins High wanted her to play some of the drinking games with them but she had other plans. Before she could execute her ideas, she found Jonathan to let her know she was leaving.

"Jonathan," she slurred, more inebriated then she thought, "I'm ditching but will you make sure Nancy makes it home safely?" she requested while drunkenly wrapping her arm around his shoulders.

He gave her a small nod, "Yeah, I'll take care of her. Are you sure you're alright to leave?"

Erica smiled as she wrapped her other arm around him to pull him into a hug, "I promise that I am just fine. I'll see you soon," she added, "I promise," she finished as she released him and walked out the front door to her car so she could drive to Hawkins Laboratory.

Erica drove to the lab and parked in her spot before stumbling out with her ID in hand to enter the facility. She made her way to Dr. Owens' office and knocked softly on the door hoping he was on the other side.

"Come in," she heard his voice answer her knock and she opened his door to reveal herself in her costume. Sam's lips curled into a mischevious grin when he saw her, "What do I owe this surprise and do you frequently dress like that because I could get used to it?" he asked as he watched her walk towards him deliberately slowly.

She didn't reply until she was in front of him and straddling his lap while wrapping her arms around his neck, "I left a Halloween party to come to visit you," she shared, "And, I can not wear this every day because then it wouldn't be very special but I did want to make sure you had a chance to see it," she revealed as she leaned down and placed her lips to his while she wrapped the curls in the back of his hair around her fingertips.

Sam gave into the kiss, deepening it at first before he pulled back and spoke, "Is this just sex for you or do you want something more out of this relationship?" he asked, his blue eyes showing the true innocence behind his question.

Erica leaned back to answer him, "Well, I admit that I assumed you would be interested in a purely sexual relationship since you'll probably be moving on after this assignment, but I would really like for us to be more than that," she admitted feeling vulnerable after working so closely with Dr. Owens over the past several months.

"You were smart to presume such thins," Sam replied, "Because normally that is the motivation I would have for a relationship like this but you're different. I want something more serious when I look at you and I contemplate my future but if that's not what you have in mind then we can be casual," he quickly added to alleviate some of the pressure loaded inside his revelation. Sam took a look at her and saw the slow reaction times in her pupils before he expressed further concern, "You don't look like you're in a place to have this discussion at the moment so why don't we table it for the morning?" he suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Erica replied, "Do you want to get back to what we were doing or are we going to waste this costume?" she asked as she leaned down towards him allowing her lips to linger just inches away from his.

Sam moved closer to her, almost closing the gap as he answered, "I would not dream of wasting this costume." He then placed his lips to hers as he ran his hands from her hips up along her sides until he was at the clasp of her top which lay on the back of her neck.


	4. Chapter 4

Erica slept on Sam's sofa and woke the following morning with a pounding headache. Once her eyes were seeing more clearly she noticed Sam was already at his desk, hard at work. She sat up and looked at him, wishing she'd woken up in his arms and not all alone.

"Do you ever take a few minutes off to eat breakfast or enjoy coffee?" she asked to get his attention, "You know, like with your girlfriend? If that's what you'd call me," she grew timid as she said the last part.

Owens was about to answer but their conversation was interrupted by Hopper storming through Owens' office door shouting, "What the hell are you people doing to my town?"

Erica stood up from the sofa, suddenly fully awake, "What are you yelling about?" she asked.

Hopper glanced her way with a surprised look crossing his face, "I'm sorry because I am here for an important reason but, did you sleep in his office? Is there something going on between you two because that is not ok," he questioned while visibly distracted.

She responded quickly before Owens had the chance, "We haven't really defined anything yet so you don't need to worry," she moved back to the reason he bursted through the door to begin with, "So, why are you here so early this morning?" She noticed the grateful smile Sam sent her way.

Hopper shook his head before he laid down a map of the city onto Sam's desk, "Whatever you're doing here is poisoning the crops. I've had four farmers come to my office about their destroyed pumpkin patches!" he exclaimed, "Are your people doing the same things Brenner's were?"

Sam stood from his chair and walked around to look at what Hopper had brought, "These are nice. I can tell you put a lot of work into them," he replied with heavy sarcasm.

Erica stepped in hoping she could help tone down the fuse growing between the two men, who she knew already didn't get along. "Dr. Owens, I know you guys run burns to get rid of what plagued the town last year but is there anything else that might be a contributing factor? Hopper wouldn't come here unless his concerns had a valid backing," she explained.

Hopper continued before Sam could reply, "I understand that you would assume none of this had anything to do with you and your goons but my town is dying and you are going to figure it out. If there is something leaking from this facility causing all of this damage then you need to fix it. I keep things quiet for you so you need to keep my town safe," he threatened.

Owens shook his head as he looked down at the map once more, "What would you like me to do?" he offered only because Erica was standing beside him and her punishment for his lack of cooperation had much worse consequences than the Chief's.

"Go out there and run tests," Hopper threw back, "Convince me this is not your fault."

Erica reached out to gently place her hand on Sam's forearm in hopes her gesture would comfort him. Owens nodded, "Fine, we'll go out today and get some samples. Will that do?"

Hopper moved to leave the office, "It's better than nothing," he answered as he exited the room leaving Erica and Owens alone once more.

"Assemble a team and I'll accompany them to investigate what's going on," Owens ordered once Hopper was gone, "I don't want you on the team in case there is something toxic out there," he added.

She couldn't hide her smile as she tried to look away but he caught her, "It seems like whatever this is it's only hurting plants so I will be fine. Plus, I'd really like to see you in action," she added with a wink. "Oh," she began as she turned to go and gather their team, "I won't be letting you off the hook about the definition of our relationship," she teased.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips, "I wouldn't imagine anything else. Your persistence is what got us this far," he confessed as he took a seat to return to his mountain of work before the investigation would begin.


	5. Chapter 5

"The Chief was not wrong about these pumpkins," Owens stated as he stood by Erica's side while their team packed up some of the decaying Halloween decorations.

She nodded with her hand covering her nose and mouth, "The smell alone is enough to clear out the town," she suppressed a gag causing him to give her a look of sympathy.

He wanted to help her but he couldn't do much with so many of their co-workers surrounding them but then he had an idea. "Hey, would you like to grab a bite together over at Benny's Burgers before we head back to the lab?" he offered with a warm smile, wishing he could reach out and hold her hand.

"Yeah, that sounds really nice," Erica replied with a small grin, "Hopefully the nausea from this place will be gone by the time we get there," she added with a laugh that caused his lips to curl into a full smile.

Sam gestured for her to follow him to his car and then he drove them to the diner. They sat down and their orders were taken almost immediately. Finally, while they were waiting on their food, Sam and Erica had a chance to talk, really talk.

He reached across the table and placed her hand into his own, "So, you said you weren't gonna let me off the hook about us, what do you want us to be?" he asked bluntly. She understood his abruptness, though, because neither of them knew how much longer he'd be stationed at their facility.

Erica stayed silent for a moment unsure of how to respond when their relationship was so new and delicate. She took her time to decide on the words she wanted to use and responded, giving his hand a quick squeeze first, "I want to be cool and give you an answer that makes it seem like I'm chill. You know, good with a casual fling that doesn't have to go anywhere? But, that's not how I feel. I really like you. I have since the first time I saw you at Hawkins Lab and I want everything with you," she confessed just as their waitress returned and placed their plates down in front of them giving them each a moment to absorb what they'd discussed so far.

After their waitress stepped away, Owens took a breath to reply to her answer, "I understand everything you're feeling because its the same for me. I don't know how much time we'll have so we should keep things light, but that's not what I want either," he caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes, "This was supposed to be a nice date where we had some fun together. Why don't we just play things by ear for now? Just know that I really like you, as well," he shared while locking his eyes with hers.

Erica glanced down briefly to gather her emotions before she looked back up and regained their eye contact, "I'm good with that plan because, honestly, I will be happy with whatever I get to have with you even if it's not as much as I might be hoping for," she took a breath and changed the subject, "So, are you going to take me out outside of the lab again? I thought sneaking around with our little glances and then _more _was fun but, I have to admit, I really love this," she revealed while preparing her burger so she could start eating.

Owens inclined his head in agreement to her suggestion, "I would like to take you on as many dates as you'll allow before you grow tired of me," he teased before taking a large bite of his cheeseburger.

Owens and Erica enjoyed the rest of their meal together while planning their next date, both understanding that things they did in secret within the lab would continue. She'd convinced him to take her to a movie for their next outing even though Hawkins' cinema was downtown where they'd be more likely to get spotted with each other and the town is small which meant everyone would know almost immediately. The age difference would cause concern among the citizens of Hawkins but luckily (not really lucky) Erica was raised by her grandparents and they'd both passed during her junior year in high school so she was alone and didn't have anyone to yell at her for this choice.

Owens noticed she seemed to be lost in her thoughts as he pulled into his space back at the lab, "Are you still with me, Reynolds?" he asked with a teasing tone.

Erica shook off her thoughts and turned to face him with a smile across her lips, "Yes, sorry. I just got lost thinking over some of my assignments for class this week. Are you going to walk me in? Or, should we take separate doors?" she asked with a wink to their secretive behaviors.

He let out a chuckle at her antics, "I will walk in with you, silly," he couldn't stop more laughter from escaping as he got out of the car as Erica did the same and met him around the front. "It's too bad we can't hold hands while we walk," he mused as he sobered up.

She shrugged before they started their journey back into work where they had to be professionals once again.

Once they reached the employee doors and entered the large structure, Owens turned to face Erica and leaned into her to steal a brief kiss while they were still out of the view of anyone who might see them. His actions caused her to smile wide when their lips parted but neither of them was aware that Nancy and Jonathan were close by and saw the entire interaction.


	6. Chapter 6

Later that evening, Erica stepped into Owens' office to see how the rest of his day had gone, "Did you find out what happened to the pumpkins? Joyce called and said Will had another episode. I told her to keep him home for now and bring him if things progress, I hope that was an ok answer," she shared her own report from the day within her questions.

He leaned back in his chair and gestured for her to sit on his lap which she obliged, gladly. Owens answered each of her inquiries, "The tests on the crops are back and it turns out there is a leak somewhere. So, even though we're performing regular burns, if we don't find the spot then all of our work, here, will be for nothing," he paused to take a deep breath before he continued, "What did Joyce say about Will? I trust your instincts but with everything going on it might be worth bringing him in tomorrow. I'm starting to wonder if what he's going through is connected to our efforts to erase the mistakes of the men who ran this place before us," he explained as he leaned his head against her shoulder while wrapping his arms around her waist.

Erica wrapped her arm around his shoulders so she could pull him in closer to her, "She said he was seeing things from the Upside Down and drawing pictures of what he was seeing in his visions. I told her to see if she can make anything of the drawings that might be able to help us figure out what's going on because I think you're right and he's connected, somehow, to all of this," she shared her findings.

"That was a smart idea," he quipped, "I knew I picked you as my intern for some reason," he teased as he pulled his head from her shoulder so he could bring her face closer to his and place his lips to hers.

She removed her mouth from his reach and feigned a pout, "I hope your reason was because of my brains and no other reason," she ended by scrunching her nose causing his lips to curl into a smile before he pulled her back to him and resumed the kiss.

Erica shifted her position on his lap so that she was straddling him and then she loosened his tie so she could undo the buttons of his shirt. He moved his hands from her waist to the zipper of the dress on her back and lowered it slowly without breaking the kiss.

She finished her work on his shirt and made her way to his belt, unbuckling it so she could unbutton his pants and lower the zipper allowing her to run her hand inside, over his boxers where she felt his readiness.

"Impressive for an old man," she whispered while parting their lips just enough.

Owens retaliated by biting her lower lip gaining access to run his tongue through her lips while he felt her smile against his mouth. He then lowered her dress from her shoulders until it was pooled around her feet before rubbing his hardness against her panties causing her to gasp and break their kiss.

"Are you teasing me?" she asked in a playfully accusing tone.

He repeated the action gaining a moan from her lips this time, "Yes, I am. That's what you get for calling me an 'old man'," he stated finished with his torture as he slid her panties to the side so he could slide inside her, both of them gasping from the connection.

Before the sun rose the following morning, Joyce and, her boyfriend, Bob were rushing through the front doors of Hawkins Lab with Will screaming for help. The night staff was almost finished with their shift when the excitement started but they got Will on a stretcher and transported him to Dr. Owens' floor where he was waiting with Erica by his side.

"Joyce, we're going to evaluate him and then start working on what's going on," Owens said to calm the worried mother as her son was screaming and writhing in pain.

Joyce nodded, visibly panicking, "He keeps saying he's burning," she shared the newest symptom causing Erica and Owens to exchange glances.

"Check the boy for burns," Owens ordered the nurses who were taking Will's vitals but they didn't find anything which only further validated his and Erica's theory about what was going on.

They administered a sedative to Will to give him some relief from what was ailing him.

Owens left the room to attend a meeting with the other physicians on staff to decide what to do for Will leaving Erica with Joyce and Bob.

"Joyce, Dr. Owens will do everything he can," Erica said to reassure Joyce that everything would be alright.

Joyce turned to face her wearing an expression Erica couldn't identify, "You would think that, wouldn't you?"

Erica was taken aback, "What does that mean?"

"Jonathan saw you and Dr. Owens yesterday," Joyce answered, "You really thought you could keep something like that a secret in this town? You're going to agree with anything he says because you're blinded by your feelings. And, while we're on the topic, do you realize how inappropriate this is? He's old enough to be your father, and an older father at that," she ranted.

"I really like him but I understand where you're coming from," Erica replied knowing some of Joyce's outburst had to do with Will and what was happening around them, "Regardless of my personal feelings, Owens is excellent at his job. And, you know that I will do everything I can to help get Will through this," she added hoping to end the personal piece of the battle Joyce was waging.

Joyce backed up and walked over to Bob who wrapped her in his arms while they all waited for Dr. Owens to return and give them an update.


	7. Chapter 7

Owens returned later, after the sun was up, "Erica, can I speak with you for a minute before I come in with my findings?"

Erica nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her, to speak with him in the hall. She longed to steal a quick kiss, or handhold, anything that would allow her to feel his touch.

"So, is it what we thought? Have you figured out something even deeper?" she asked, resisting the urge to graze his fingers with her own.

He nodded, resisting the same desire, "We think he's actually got a piece of the creature from the Upside Down inside him as if it latched on before he escaped before. I'm gonna test it and then we'll know for sure," he explained.

"Do you have a plan for getting rid of whatever's inside of him if the theory is correct?" she asked.

"I do but let's wait on that part until after we confirm our thoughts," he revealed as he grasped her hand for the quickest of moments, "This isn't going to be fun. Stay by my side, deal?" he asked with a weak smile.

They walked back into the room together and a team of Owens' men followed. Owens took a seat next to Will with Erica standing behind him. She discreetly placed her hand on his back to give him whatever comfort she could.

Owens questions revealed that Will wasn't totally himself and his mind was under some level of control because he could only retain some facts about himself. Erica glanced at Joyce as the questions went on to see her heartbreaking all over her face. Luckily Hopper had arrived and was able to give Joyce additional strength.

"I wanna do a little test," Owens shared, "Is that ok with you Will?"

Will nodded causing Owens to gesture for one of his men to start his experiment. The other doctor turned on a blowtorch and used it on a small piece of the roots they'd extracted from the Upside Down. As the heat hit the foreign entity, Will began to scream again because their theory was correct and he was under the control of the Mindslayer so everything they were doing to rid Hawkins of the Upside Down was directly affecting Will.

"Ms. Byers," Owens stated once the test was complete, "Will still has something inside of him from his experience. I am not sure to the level the creature has its hold over him but I'm concerned its high."

Joyce removed herself from Bob's arms, "How do we get it out without hurting him any more than we already have?"

"You have to take him somewhere else and use the heat to drive the monster out. I would offer to do it here but I'm concerned with the doorway so close it won't work," Owens explained his idea to Joyce, hoping it was a good response in her eyes.

Before anyone could move on to the next step of Dr. Owens' plan, alarms started sounding throughout the facility.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked the panic returning to her voice.

Owens glanced at Erica, his eyes telling her to follow him before he replied, "We'll go find out what's happening. Just to be safe, as a precaution, you all need to stay in here and shut the door, got it?" he asked while Erica moved to his side so she would be able to accompany him.

Hopper stepped forward, "I'm coming with you two," he announced before turning to Joyce and the others, "He's right. Shut the door and don't open it unless you know that it's us." Joyce returned Hopper's words with a simple nod, all she could muster in her current state of mind.

Hopper followed Owens and Erica down to the basement lab where the opening to the Upside Down resided because if there was trouble coming from anywhere, it was most likely there.

"What do you think it is?" Erica whispered to Owens as she speed-walked beside him, "You don't think it's anything too serious, do you?"

He shrugged to give off the appearance he was calmer than he actually was, "I'm not sure yet but I am positive that it can't be good," he answered.

The trio walked through the submarine-like doors of that part of the lab to find the staff inside staring at the glass with fear in their eyes.

Owens stepped closer and turned his head to see what they were looking at. One of the Demogorgons was right at the window and just as Erica and Hopper saw it too, the beast slammed itself into the glass.

Owens took a breath, "It's...it's polycarbonate. It can't get through that," his voice was shaky as he did his best to reassure the people with him that they were safe while he was simultaneously backing up slowly and taking a protective stance in front of Erica, moving her with him.

"How is this possible?" Erica whispered, "I thought they couldn't get through to our side. Isn't that what all the data has shown?" she asked, hoping any tiny piece of information might make her feel better.

Owens turned his head just slightly to make sure she could hear him, "Everything you're saying is what we thought to be true but it looks like we were wrong," he answered as another Demogorgon climbed out of the opening.

Hopper was beginning to move in the direction of the exit along with Owens, who already had Erica almost through the doorway. The rest of the staff cleared the room before Hopper shut the double-plated reinforced steel door. They all knew it wasn't strong enough to hold back the beasts but it would give them some time.

Hopper spoke as they rushed through the halls, "We have to get back to Joyce and Will and get them out of here. Clearly, Will is being used in a deeper way than we thought."


	8. Chapter 8

Hopper, Owens, and Erica returned to Will's room and moved everyone into an office where Owens could find the blueprints and find them a way out because no one could attend to destroying the entire opening until Will was in the clear.

Owens pulled a large roll of paper out of a drawer and motioned for Erica to help him open it and hold it steady, "So, we're here," he pointed out their location on the map, "And the nearest exit is over here," he circled another location before looking up at Erica and releasing a sigh.

"What is it?" she asked as she placed her free hand comfortingly onto his, no longer caring about who knew about them.

Owens exhaled deeply before he replied, "Even if we get there, there's no way out," he revealed.

Joyce shook her head as she pulled away from Bob, "What does that mean? There's no way out," she demanded.

"The locks are fail-secure," Owens answered, "Which means if there's a power outage the building goes on lockdown. It can be unlocked remotely with a computer but someone has to reset the breaker in order for that to work," he added.

Bob stepped forward, "Where are the breakers?"

"Three floors down," Owens said.

Bob nodded and began to walk toward the door before Hopper tried to stop him. The two men exchanged words about why each of them was more qualified than the other and, in the end, Bob was the obvious choice.

He walked over to Joyce once more and pulled her into his arms, tightly, "I'll be back in a gif. This will be easy peasy," Bob reassured her. She offered a small nod as he pulled away.

Owens threw Bob a walkie, "Once you get the power back up, I'll have visuals and I can walk you through getting back here safely, ok?"

Bob acknowledged Owens words before he left the small amount of security they had in that room.

While they waited, in the dark, for Bob to accomplish his mission, Erica leaned her head against Owens feeling the full stress of the events of the last twelve, or so hours.

He turned his head towards hers and inclined to place a small kiss on the top of her head, "You doin' alright?" he whispered, his accent still showing through even when his voice was so soft.

She tried to muster a brave response but instead gave a mere nod, "I will be. When we get out of here, which we will. Right?"

Owens adjusted his position so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders, "We're sure gonna try our very best," he changed the subject to a brighter topic, "Hey, I've been thinking about our talks and our status. Do you wanna know what I've come up with?"

Erica's lips curled into a small smile at his attempt to make her feel better, "I would like to know," she played along even though she knew this event was the end of Dr. Owens time at Hawkins Laboratories.

"I want you to be my girlfriend," he confessed genuinely, "Is that something you might be interested in?"

She shook her head, her smile growing wider, "It is. For as long as you're in this town or we're alive through this tragedy, I will be your girlfriend," she turned her body against his so she could face him and then reached up to place her lips against his, appreciatively.

As she pulled back, the lights to the facility came back online as well as the cameras.

Owens moved straight back into the action and took his seat in front of a large number of monitors before speaking into his walkie, "Bob, can you hear me? You did great," he complimented.

"I'm here," Bob's voice came through the static, "How do I get out of here?"

Joyce made a small noise of celebration at the sound of Bob's voice. Erica moved to stand behind Owens, laying her hand on his shoulder.

Owens continued, "Ok, we're gonna do this slowly because it's starting to get a little crowded here. When you get to the top of the stairs, you're gonna take a right," he instructed. Everyone stood in still silence as they waited for the next move.

They watched Bob walk out of the stairwell door on their level and turn right to start down the hall, "What's next?" he asked.

"At the end of this one, you're gonna make a left," Owens replied but got distracted when he noticed a Demogorgon on the same floor moving swiftly toward Bob's location, "Bob, get in the closet on your right, now!"

Bob didn't argue or make a sound as he jumped inside of the nearby closet to await his next instructions while everyone in the camera room held their breath.

Once the creature was gone, Owens started talking to Bob again, "Jesus Christ," he said within an exhale, "How you doin', Bob? You alright?" he asked.

Bob's labored breaths were the first response everyone heard before his voice came through, "Yeah, yeah."

Owens looked up at Erica, "The doors are unlocked now and I want you to go with them and get out of here. I have to stay and make sure any survivors get out but I can't do that with you here," he explained.

She wanted to argue with him and force him to let her stay but she knew he was right. She took a deep breath, "I'll go but you have to promise to make it out of here alive. Can you do that for me?"

"I will do my damn best," he agreed before she grabbed his face in her hands and devoured his mouth with her own, hoping to convey everything she wished she could say through the kiss. Once she pulled away, he motioned for her to go, "I'll see you soon, beautiful."

Erica, regretfully, followed Hopper and the others out of the room and back into the lab to leave through the front door, her heart tearing apart inside.

Just as everyone passed through and gained freedom with Joyce as the only one not through, Bob came through the double doors sprinting from the monster on his heels.

Bob straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief, sending a smile Joyce's way, as the Demogorgon barreled through the doors and took Bob violently to the ground.

Erica pulled on Joyce to get her outside while her own mind ran through the same vision but Sam as the monster's victim. She shook off her fears, "Joyce, there's nothing you can do! Come on, we have to save Will!"

Joyce followed Erica's lead and left but the tears on her face let them all know that she left a large part of herself inside that building.


	9. Chapter 9

Hopper brought all of them back to his cabin in the woods where they could keep Will from knowing where they were and that also meant the Mind Flayer wouldn't know.

Erica stayed on the sidelines, helping where she could, while they used heat like Owens suggested to bring the piece of the beast out of Will.

Their mission wasn't without issues when Demogorgans stormed the house. Erica and the kids moved into position to fight them off while Hopper and Joyce worked on helping Will so they could find a way to destroy the entire place.

"What kind of weapons do we have?" Erica asked as she helped Steve, Jonathan, and Nancy move things to barricade the front door and the windows.

Dustin jumped into action and began passing out slingshots and other homemade tools they could use to buy Will more time. Jonathan grabbed some tools from the kitchen that would pack a little more punch than the other items for when the beasts busted through their obstacles. Somehow, Steve found a chainsaw.

Lucas, Mike, and Max created an inner-perimeter while Erica, Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan protected the outer circle. They were all waiting through the banging going on all around the small cabin.

Steve looked around the room and gave the group a reassuring nod, "We've got this, guys."

Jonathan rolled his eyes, "You didn't see what these things are capable of like we did at the lab. It's not gonna be pretty if they get through."

"Ok guys," Nancy interjected, "How about we find a happy medium between overly-confident and pessimistic?"

"I second that," Erica added just as the door burst open and a Demogorgon was in their midst.

Steve jumped into action before anyone could make a move, or even think to. He revved his chainsaw and cut through the creature's flower petal-like head as if it was something he did every day.

Erica backed up in horror and amazement as the monster's head rolled off onto the ground while its body fell where it stood.

Before any of them had a chance to celebrate more of them appeared, all of the beasts coming for Will. They did their best to fight all of them off with some of them, including Erica, earning small wounds.

The group was losing their ground when a sudden burst of energy emerged from out of nowhere and destroyed all of the Demogorgans in sight leaving the entire group looking at each other with shock on their faces.

Hopper came out of the back, "Will is out of the woods. How are things going out here?"

"There were a bunch of monsters but something just killed them all in one blow," Nancy explained, still confused.

Hopper was about to ask a follow-up when a girl showed up at the doorway. She was wearing a leather jacket with matching gloves, jeans, and her hair slicked back.

"El?" Hopper asked, "I thought you'd run away," he confessed.

Mike moved forward, "Is it really you?"

The girl, who Erica assumed was named El or something like it, nodded but looked back at Hopper.

"Take me to the lab," the girl ordered, "I have to end this and I'm the only one who can."

Hopper started to shake his head but then he saw the intent deep within her eyes and nodded in agreement instead, turning to tell Joyce he was leaving.

When Hopper came back out to leave with El, Erica grabbed his elbow to earn his attention, "Get Owens out of there in one piece, please," she pleaded.

Hopper inclined his head, "I will do my very best but you do like he said and wait here where you're safe."

After what felt like a million years, Hopper returned with El but not Owens. Erica walked towards him, alarm all over her face, "He didn't make it, did he?" the pain was visible in her voice as it had been growing while she was waiting.

"He was injured," Hopper replied, "They put a pretty nasty gash in his thigh but he's ok and if you'd like, I'll take you to see him at the hospital," he offered.

Erica could only nod, completely overwhelmed.

Hopper led her to his Bronco and drove her to Hawkins General and walked her to Owens' room.

"He's gonna be fine," Hopper reassured her, "Do you want me to go in with you?"

Erica shook her head as she left his side and stepped into the room to see Owens laying back in his hospital bed, asleep. She sat down on the edge of the bed and laid her hand on top of his, inhaling deeply with relief after spending the last few hours worried she might never see him again.

Owens woke a little while later to find Erica passed out on his chest causing him to smile at the sight. He stirred just enough to wake her as gently as possible.

She sat up and a tear rolled down her cheek.

He wiped it away, "What was that for? I'm ok, just like I promised," he soothed, wrapping his arm around her waist wishing he had the strength to hold her in his arms. He also knew he was going to have to cause more tears before their reunion was over.

"I was just so worried," she confessed lifting her arm to rest her hand on his chest and wincing.

"Are you ok?" he asked concern washing over his face.

She held in a small laugh, "You sent me away to keep me safe but those things came after us to get to Will. One got my upper arm but it's nothing compared to what they did to you," she shared.

He placed his hand on top of hers, "I'm glad you're alright but I'm afraid I have some bad news," he began knowing it was better to rip off the bandaid instead of waiting.

Erica felt her eyes starting to tear up again, "They're moving you, aren't they? How long do we have?"

Owens shook his head wishing he didn't have to answer her question but he took a deep breath and spoke, "In an hour. I'm being moved to one of the facility's hospitals and then I'll be stationed at a new office once I've healed," he revealed, his heartbreaking as he watched the tears start to escape her eyes. He struggled to sit up but managed and pulled her into his arms, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I wish I could take you with me but you and I both know that's not possible," he said after they'd sat in silence for a while.

Erica sat up, her tear-stained face tearing him apart, "I understand. I just wish we had more time," she shared, "Do we even try something long-distance?" she asked, her bottom lip quivering as she spoke.

Owens shook his head, "I will have barely any access to the outside world which means we'd barely be able to speak and, if I'm being honest, those small amounts might make this all hurt more," he confessed.

"I agree with you," she answered holding back her sobs because she wanted to enjoy her time with him as much as she could, "I'm just going to lay in your arms until they take you away, does that work for you?" she forced a smile.

He did the same with a nod, "As long as there are a few kisses scattered into that time," she revealed his own conditions.

Erica leaned forward and placed her lips to his, soaking up as much of him as she could in the time they had left.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I'm only jumping forward five months for season three and this chapter will be a series of one-shots following Erica's story through the third season.

**1 Month Later…**

Nancy was at Erica's house preparing for her Freshman year of college as they were nearing summer break but she found Erica upset when she arrived.

"What's going on?" Nancy asked, concerned for her friend and knowing what she'd gone through in her whirlwind romance with Doc Owens.

Erica inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled before she could gather her words, "I'm pregnant, Nance. I just found out this morning and I just can't believe it," she revealed.

Nancy walked towards her and sat down on the couch next to Erica, "Are you gonna call that number Hopper has and tell Owens? Maybe this will bring him home and you guys can get back together," she tried to be supportive though she'd never really approved of her friend's relationship with that much older man.

Erica sighed, "I don't want him to come back just for this and we agreed not to talk because it would make everything harder. So, I'm just going to keep this to myself as long as I can from people here and forever from him. I can do this, maybe," she was visibly shaking from the stress so soon after her heartbreak.

"We'll all be here for you," Nancy promised, "Are you still going to get a job for the summer?"

Erica nodded, "Yeah, I'm definitely going to need one now. Luckily, my Grandma left me this house so I know I have a place to live but there's going to be a lot," she stated, "Can we look at your college stuff now? I would really like to give my brain a break from all of this," she requested.

"Of course," Nancy replied as she pulled out all the paperwork and housing pamphlets.

**4 Months Later…**

Summer had officially arrived in Hawkins and everyone knew Erica was pregnant as she'd hit the sixth-month mark and her bump had popped. She'd started working at Waldenbooks in the town's new mall, Starcourt Mall. Steve and, one of Erica's newer friends, Kristina were working at Scoops Ahoy which was downstairs in the food court.

Joyce had been surprisingly helpful once she'd realized Erica's condition especially after her disapproval in the relationship but Erica was grateful for everyone around her.

"Earth to Erica," Kristina's voice shook her from her thoughts, "Do you want to grab lunch with me?"

Erica laughed at herself for dazing out, "You know I'm in the least visited store in the mall because no one wants to read books in the summer, it's easy to get a little spacey. Now, don't you want to eat with Steve 'The Hair'?" she teased aware of the crush Kristina had been developing.

Kristina shook her head, "We can't take our lunch breaks at the same time even if that's what I wanted. So, are you going to eat with me?" she repeated herself.

Erica nodded and yelled to her supervisor that she was leaving for her break and the duo made their way back downstairs to the food court.

"What are you in the mood for because I know that is the only way we're going to make a decision?" Kristina asked very aware of her friend's cravings and how suddenly they could shift.

Erica slapped Kristina's arm playfully, "Someday I'll be back to normal but until then, you're correct, this," she placed her hand on her stomach, "dictates most of my food decisions. Today, we're feeling like New York Pizza. How does that sound?"

"Good," Kristina agreed and they got their food before taking a seat at one of the many tables surrounding the fountain.

Once they were settled Erica took a sip of her Pepsi before getting the conversation going again, "So, what's going on at Scoops Ahoy? I've noticed Dustin there a lot over the last few days and that usually means trouble," she asked as she picked up her pizza.

"You were apart of all that craziness they went through a few months ago, right?" she asked. Once Erica nodded, Kristina went into her explanation, "So Dustin picked up a Russian code while he was trying to talk to his girlfriend over the radio he built and we've been trying to translate it."

"I really hope there's nothing crazy going on," Erica responded with a sigh, "I'm just not sure I can get into the whole crazy save the world thing, especially now and without Owens here," she confessed.

Kristina nodded, "I'll keep you posted on where we are with our search and if it actually leads anywhere," she had a sudden thought, "You know, if there is something truly insane going on like before then Chief Hopper might call your Doctor into the action," she mused causing a smile to cross Erica's lips.

* * *

A few days later, Erica started to grow concerned when she didn't see Kristina, Steve, or Dustin at Scoops Ahoy or anywhere in the mall, for that matter. She was staying toward the outside of Waldenbooks so she could keep a constant watch on the area below looking for any sign of them.

As lunchtime neared, she was straightening books, her store apron off so she was only in her overalls with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath when she caught a glimpse of a small group of people who resembled her friends walking into the movie theater. She told her boss she was leaving for lunch and raced down the escalator to catch up with them before they were out of her sight.

Erica was just quick enough to see they bought tickets for _Back to the Future_ so she did the same and made her way into the correct theater and walked down the rows looking for even one of them if she could find any. She spotted Kristina and moved through the row to reach her.

"Where have you guys been?" Erica asked once she was in her seat and now saw all of them.

Kristina turned to face her, a goofy smile on her lips, "Silly, we found the Russians and they tried to get us to talk but we didn't break and Dustin saved us," she shared and then thought she had switched to a whisper, "Don't say anything, but you were right. I do like Steve," she burst into a fit of giggles.

"They really did drug you two, didn't they?" Erica replied and turned her attention to Dustin who was by a younger girl she hadn't met, "So, what's your plan? And, is this related to the same stuff as last time?"

Dustin nodded, "The Russians are building a gate to open the Upside Down again. We're laying low until we can sneak out because they are all looking for us," he revealed.

Erica nodded, "Sounds super cool like always. Well, I'm sticking with you. If there are monsters then I want to be with the right people," she complimented as she sat back, actually relieved to be off of her feet.


	11. Chapter 11

The Russians found them and Erica found herself hiding behind a snack counter with Dustin, the other Erica, Kristina, and Steve with no more tricks up their sleeves.

As they heard the footsteps of the soldier's boots nearing their location another sound took their attention and the five turned and peeked over the counter to see a car had been flipped taking out all the men. Erica glanced up towards the railing for the second floor and she saw the rest of their team and her fears about what they were facing were confirmed.

She followed the others upstairs where she was lost in a fog while they all brought each other up to speed. Soon Joyce, Hopper, and some other man joined them as well.

Hopper walked over to Erica while everyone began forming an official plan, "Hey so I called Owens," he revealed, "I didn't tell him anything about you but he might come with his team to help us take care of this situation. I didn't want you to be blind sighted," he shared.

She couldn't stop the smile from taking over her lips, "I have been trying really hard to resist calling him and as terrible as all of this is I can't pretend I'm not happy he might show up," she confessed.

Hopper gave her a smile, "I knew you would be. And, you'll be leaving the mall with the kids after I figure out what they know because I don't need Owens finding out about," he gestured to her bump, "while you're in the middle of danger."

"I won't fight you on that," she agreed as they rejoined the group to make decisions.

Erica and the others didn't make it out of the mall because Billy was waiting on them and he'd damaged their car so they were forced to move back inside. Hopper, Joyce, and Bauman had gone below into the Russian's base to close their portal.

"Why does this always happen here?" Erica asked as they regrouped to make a new plan.

No one had a chance to answer her question even if it had been rhetorical because the Mind Flayer was there, climbing on the glass ceiling of the mall.

"We need to get El out of here," Mike yelled, "Billy and the Mind Flayer are after her! This is all to make sure she can't defeat them," he explained in a hurried tone, his face covered in panic.

The group divided and made a run for it but their efforts were quickly wasted because Billy got El and the Mind Flayer was inside prepared to finish its mission.

Erica, Lucas, Nancy, Steve, Kristina, and Jonathan were able to get to the second floor and Lucas revealed his fireworks.

"We have to throw these at it and buy them time to close this thing and kill all of the monsters," Lucas stated as he started to divide the supplies so they could hit attack from multiple angles.

Erica nodded and leaned against the railing for a moment to catch her breath but when she did one of the Mind Flayer's tentacles got her sending her into the glass of the front window of the closest store.

Kristina rushed over to her friend and got down on her knees, "Are you alright?"

Erica sat up and started brushing herself off, flinching as she discovered some of the pieces had lodged themselves in her arms, "I'll be fine," she struggled to stand even with Kristina's help. "Let's just get this over with," she added.

"I think you should sit this out," Kristina challenged out of concern, "You can barely stand and we don't know if any of those pieces are attached to an artery. Just sit over there, please," she pleaded.

Erica wanted to argue and say she was all good but she knew she wasn't so she nodded and moved with help to sit against the wall and watch the action.

Erica passed out during the fireworks display going on around her but she came to when she heard Kristina's voice yelling Owens' name.

"Why are you yelling that name?" Erica said, her voice weak. She must have lost more blood then she thought. She added, "Did we win?"

Kristina moved back to get down on Erica's level, "We did but I'm not sure how. Joyce and Hopper haven't come out yet but Owens is here. He and his team just arrived and I was calling him because he needs to get you medical attention," she shared, worried at how pale her friend was.

Owens reached the two girls just as Kristina was finishing her explanation. He got down on his knees in front of Erica and gently placed his hand on her cheek, "Haven't I always told you to stay out of the action? I've missed you," he confessed as he leaned forward and gently put his lips to hers but removed them quickly when even that small movement caused her to wince.

"I missed you too," she replied with a whisper, "Are you going to stay this time?" she asked as she pushed through the pain with tears streaming down her face so she could wrap her arms around his neck and hold on to him as tightly as possible.

He smiled as he returned her embrace handling her as carefully as possible, "I'm never leaving your side again," he revealed before focusing on her current status, "Let's not worry about any of that right now. We need to get you taken care of. Can you stand?" he asked while he pulled himself from her hold.

Erica nodded and grabbed a hold of the hand he was offering. As she stood, Owens saw something else he found surprising besides the pieces of glass stuck within multiple locations of her skin. He got a tighter hold of her back and elbow to steady her once he realized just how weak she was.

He didn't mention her bump until he got her back downstairs and under the care of the EMTs who arrived on the scene. She wouldn't let him leave her side and clung to his hand when he tried to go take a look inside to get a handle on things. He'd only managed to learn the tragic news about Hopper but he didn't want to share that with Erica just yet.

The EMTs gave Erica a unit of blood and took care of all the glass and cuts though she still had to be taken to the hospital to ensure she was completely alright but her color had returned and she was more alert.

"I'm so glad you came back," Erica revealed as she struggled to sit upon the stretcher so she could see Owens better. She'd missed each and every one of his features and she wanted to see them all again as much as she could.

Owens got up onto the gurney and laid beside her, his eyes constantly darting to her visibly pregnant stomach, "I wanted to many times but I didn't want to make things worse for you when I would inevitably have to leave. However, when Hopper," the names stung as it left his lips, "called I was not going to send just anyone to make sure you were safe."

"Thank you for coming," she replied, "I know I never said this before but I love you. I am deeply in love with you," she confessed causing him to hold onto he a little tighter, pulling her deeper into his embrace.

"You haven't told me but that's ok because I hadn't either," Owens replied, "And, I love you very much. So much, in fact, that I felt physical pain while we were apart," he was being vulnerable and putting himself out there. He changed the subject as the ambulance started to drive, "Is there anything else you feel like you should tell me?"

Erica glanced down at her bump, instinctively moving her hand to rest on it, "Are you referring to this?" she asked, looking up at his face into his grey-blue eyes. He nodded while wearing a smirk showing he was amused. "You're going to be a father," she shared, "I would have called but I didn't want that to be the only reason you came back. Are you really back for good, this time? Because I really don't think I can say goodbye again," she couldn't stop the tears from escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks as she felt their first goodbye all over again except this time she was in the hospital bed.

"Sh," he soothed, "There's no need for any tears because I already told my higher-ups that if they want my research they're going to have to let me give it to them from here. I won't be going anywhere again, I promise you that," he added tenderly as he wiped away her tears. "We're going on this next adventure together and nothing will ever come between the two of us," he moved his hand from her cheek and placed it on her belly and was greeted by a kick causing him to chuckle, "I should say the three of us."

A/N: This is the end I'd envisioned but there's always room for more story to be told. Only time will tell. And I am aware the last bit is super cheesy but it's also so cute!


End file.
